Abstract

The M/M/+M? Model's Bearing estimator, also called the Best Stellar Aberration Model, will be compared to James Bradley's 1729 Falling Rain model and to the stellar aberration models described in Einstein's 1905 Special Relativity Theory (SRT) and the 2010 Astronomical Almanac (AA). The 1729 Falling Rain model, the 1905 SRT model and the 2010 AA model predict aberration values that closely agree with Bradley's Constant of Aberration (approximately 20.5 arc seconds) for a distant celestial body at a zenith point as viewed through a telescope travelling at Earth's orbital velocity. The Best Model is an adaptation of the 1905 SRT stellar aberration model described in Einstein's 1905 Electrodynamics publication. The Best model is based upon a kinematical and dynamical form similar to those described in SRT with aberration prediction capabilities not described in SRT. The Best Model's aberration predictions are closer to the 2010 Astronomical Almanac's estimates than the Falling Rain or 1905 SRT models' estimates when the object is located at a sidereal angle other than 0? or 180?. The zenith and sidereal angles will be defined for each of the four models. The Best Model predicts that the aberration of a distant object near a zenith point will be closer to zero than 20.5?. The prediction of a Constant of Aberration value as large as 20.5? for a zenith star is irrational and is contradicted by empirical observations. This conclusion has profound implications concerning the precise geometry and relationships between the kinematical and dynamical forms that are the cause of stellar aberration according to Einstein's 1905 Electrodynamics publication.